Contents

=> Little Scraps of Paper Activities
=> Word Origins: “Potluck dinner”
=> A Riddle
=> In the Next Issue

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Lessons from Little Scraps of Paper —————————————————————

Teachers, do you want to make activities with no preparation? Of course, you do. Here’s a 4-step process for creating activities for any theme or subject.

All you need is some old paper and scissors.

1. Cut little squares of paper, about half the size of a business card.

2. Distribute them to students.

3. Ask students to write a secret word on them. Let’s say your class theme is travel. Students might write “suitcase,” “pickpocket,” “hotel,” “Venice,” or “Japan.” ANYTHING to do with travel.  Important: Students hould not show anyone what they have written.

4. Mix the papers up, return them to the students.  Students will describe the thing without saying the word. Other students will guess the secret word. (Do a few demonstrations first).

Example:  “Okay, this is a place… Well, it’s more like a line between two countries. They usually have a gate there…” Continue describing until someone  guesses the word “border.”

Notes: This works for any level, because the students determine the content themselves. They also have more investment in the activity since they were part of its creation.

There are endless variations to this 4-step activity-
creating process.  Another example:

1. Cut papers.

2. Distribute to students.

3. Ask students to write down a “bad thing that can happen when you’re traveling.” (Supply a few examples yourself: “You can lose your wallet.”
“You can get searched at border.” “You can get lost.”)

4. Redistribute the papers. Now ask students to MIME the actions. (Mime is best done in small groups; otherwise students can get nervous). Again, other students will guess the subject.
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Word Origins: “Potluck Dinner”
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A potluck dinner is when people contribute to a meal by bringing a dish. Someone might bring a casserole, someone a fish dish, someone soup, someone a dessert.

It comes from the idea that you get whatever happens to be in the pot.

“Potluck” has a meaning outside of food too. It can mean “whatever is available.” E.g.: “Since we didn’t reserve our seats ahead of time, we had to take potluck when we got on the plane.”

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A Riddle
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Question: Why did the boy through his clock out of
the window?

Answer: He wanted to see time fly.

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In the Next Issues: (October 5, 2002)
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Ghost ship. (We haven’t had a good text in ages).
Ghostly gerunds and infinitives.

© 2002 Kevin McCaughey & I.M. Poosheesty